Dr Vinod Rao said the challenge of COVID has entered a decisive phase and he has issued a notification to increase the number of beds to 4,220. He said that the hospitals have been allowed to start extension services outside their existing premises to cater to the growing needs of patients coming in and out of the district. It has also ensured that the required number of ventilators and ICU beds are increased. He informed, at present more than 450 patients are being treated from outside Vadodara district. However, there is no shortage of ventilators, ICUs, oxygen beds. And as a result of advance planning, they have succeeded in meeting the needs of the patients without any serious problem. At present, there are a total of 3,550 beds available for COVID-19 patients in Vadodara including free government, private and paid private beds. Against this, only 2,124 or 60 per cent beds are filled by patients. In another notification, COVID patients who do not need oxygen support and have am

Author-Shlok Talati